Archived: Croft House

Updated 11 May 2022

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Inspection team

The inspection was carried out by one inspector.

Service and service type

Croft House is a ‘care home’. People in care homes receive accommodation and nursing and/or personal care as a single package under one contractual agreement. CQC regulates both the premises and the care provided, and both were looked at during this inspection.

This service is required to have a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who has registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

At the time of our inspection there was a registered manager in post.

Notice of inspection

This inspection was unannounced.

What we did before the inspection

We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return (PIR). This is information providers are required to send us annually with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. We also looked at statutory notifications we had received. These are events or important information that the service must tell us about, by law.

During the inspection

Whilst some people living at the service were not able to share their views with us, we observed the care and support being provided. We spoke with the registered and regional managers, two staff members and the estates manager. We reviewed care records and Medication Administration Records (MAR). We also reviewed a number of records relating to the running of the service. These included staff recruitment, training and records associated with the provider's quality assurance systems.

After the inspection

We continued to seek clarification from the provider to validate evidence found. We looked at training data and quality assurance records. We spoke with one relative and a representative from Torbay Council.

Updated 11 May 2022

Croft House is a residential care home that provides personal care and support for up to six people with a learning disability, autism or who have complex needs associated with their mental health.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The registered manager and staff worked in partnership with people, their relatives and health professionals to ensure people received safe care.

Systems were in place to ensure people were supported by staff who had the skills and experience to meet their needs. However, we found some of this information was not readily available. We also noted that some induction information relating to agency staff could not be fully relied upon. Therefore, we have recommended that the registered manager reviews the systems in place to ensure information is available and that inductions are specific to the service and the people they support.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. However, we found some records relating to the recording of MCA and best interests’ decisions, in places lacked detail. Therefore, we have recommended that the provider reviews all documentation relating to MCA and the recording of best interests’ decisions.

Risks to people’s health, safety and well-being were assessed and management plans were in place to keep people and staff safe.

Medicines were being managed safely.

People were protected from the risk of abuse because staff had been trained on how to recognise and report abuse and they knew how to apply it.

People were supported by staff who had been recruited safely and there were enough staff to make sure people had the care and support they needed.

There was a clear management structure and staff felt supported and listened to.

The quality of service people received was monitored on a regular basis and where improvements were required these were acted on.

We expect health and social care providers to guarantee autistic people and people with a learning disability the choices, dignity, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. Right support, right care, right culture is the statutory guidance which supports CQC to make assessments and judgements about services providing support to people with a learning disability and/or autistic people.

The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture.

Right support: Model of care and setting maximises people’s choice, control and Independence.

People were able to do and choose how they spent their time and supported by staff to take part in activities and pursue their interests in their local area/community. People were supported and encouraged to be as independent as possible and staff had a good awareness of people's needs and preferences but understood this was their choice.

Right care: Care is person-centred and promotes people’s dignity, privacy and human rights. Staff knew people well and understood how to communicate effectively with people. Staff spoke to people in a dignified and respectful way and it was clear from our observations that people and staff had developed good relationships.

Right culture: The ethos, values and attitudes of managers and staff helped to ensure people using services were enabled to lead confident, inclusive and empowered lives. The registered manager and staff spoke passionately about promoting people's wellbeing, safety, and security. Staff understood their role in making sure that people were always put first, and their care and support was tailored to their individual needs and preferences.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 03 July 2020 and this is the first rating inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned inspection for a newly registered service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor information we receive about the service, which will help inform when we next inspect.